The death of a close friend or relative can create a great deal of stress, which need not be complicated by additional problems. If the decedent's personal information is compromised, this can lead to identity theft, as well as numerous other complications. To prevent complications associated with identity theft, it is a necessity to alert all three credit bureaus of the death.
Step 1
Create a handwritten deceased alert. Within the alert, include the decedent's full name, most recent address, social security number, date of birth and date of death.
Step 2
Include within the deceased alert that the credit bureaus need to place the note "Deceased. Do Not Issue Credit" on the decedent's file.
Step 3
Add a request to the deceased alert for a copy of the decedent's credit report. This will require documentation proving executorship.
Step 4
Keep all original documents in your records.
Step 5
Send the deceased alert with a copy of the death certificate via certified mail to the credit bureaus. Include executorship documents if you are requesting a credit report.
Tips and Warnings
- Call each credit bureau prior to mailing the deceased notification to accelerate the notification process. See the link in Resources for contact information on the three main credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Things You'll Need
- Death certificate
- Executorship documents
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